Wednesday's Daily Pulse

What you need to know about Florida today

| 7/31/2013

Florida’s consumer confidence drops three points in July

Florida's consumer confidence tumbled in July, ending a four-month streak of gains, according to a University of Florida survey released Tuesday. The UF survey is in lockstep with the Conference Board index also announced Tuesday that showed a July pull-back in consumer confidence nationally. But that result contrasts with a national survey by the University of Michigan that indicated confidence was up slightly. More from the Tampa Bay Times and UF News.

Florida's insurance officials said Tuesday that health insurance rates will rise 5 to 20 percent for small businesses and 30 to 40 percent in the individual market through the state's new exchange under the federal health law. Some of the state's largest individual health insurers, including Florida Blue and Cigna, will be among 11 plans competing through the exchange in the individual market and five insurers will offer plans in the small group market. [Source: Miami Herald]

Hurricane center extends its tropical outlook

Thanks to steady improvement in its forecasting skills, the National Hurricane Center plans to tell us when a disturbance holds potential to grow into a storm — five days in advance. It's the first major change in that segment of the forecast in more than three decades. [Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

Moody’s praises push to shrink Citizens

Moody’s issued a report saying the plan by approved by the Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott will reduce the risk for a hurricane fund that had gotten too large. By reducing the risk of a flood of post-storm claims Citizens couldn’t afford, the “depopulation” plan will also make it easier for private insurers to compete in Florida and will decrease the possibility of an assessment on all Florida insurance policies to subsidize a major loss by Citizens. [Source: Miami Herald]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› EverBank to lay off 48 in Jacksonville[Florida Times-Union] EverBank will lay 48 employees in Jacksonville as it exits the wholesale broker home lending business. It will lay off about 100 others in Dallas and Sacramento, Calif. The bank, headquartered in Jacksonville, made the announcement late Monday, saying it intended to focus on retail, direct and correspondent lending.

› Florida remains No. 1 in home seizures[Sarasota Herald-Tribune] Florida remains tops in the nation for the highest percentage of distressed homes and the number of completed foreclosures, a new report has found. The state's foreclosure inventory -- properties in some stage of foreclosure -- stood at 8.6 percent of all mortgaged homes in June, real estate data provider CoreLogic said Tuesday.

› Adult technical education program prepares to launch in Hernando[Tampa Bay Times] Past attempts by the Hernando County School District to bring adult technical education to the county have not gone well, marred by missteps and nagging questions over funding. But officials are ready to try again — this time with a fresh approach.

› Bus companies sue Orlando over airport pickup rules[Orlando Sentinel] Three bus companies that carry passengers to and from Orlando International Airport have sued Orlando, asking a judge to block the city from enforcing its regulations for taxis and other hired vehicles against them.